After returning from China, Trump went berserk with tweets—ignoring agreements and inflation, instead pushing for construction crews to get started.
From May 15 to 17, he posted multiple messages in the middle of the night, all centered on one theme: renovating gardens. The White House State Dining Room needs a full overhaul; the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial must be repainted; and a plot of land on the National Mall is to be reserved for 250 statues of “American Heroes.”
A president who had just signed a trade framework with China immediately redirected his first priority toward tiles and marble. But once you examine the project’s budget, it becomes clear he isn’t doing renovation—he’s doing business.
The dining room project initially boasted that $200 million in private donations would cover it. Now the cost has risen to $400 million, and Republican lawmakers are pushing for an additional $1 billion in taxpayer funds. The Reflecting Pool is even more absurd—Trump personally selected a company that once built a pool for his golf course, securing a low bid of $1.8 million to stake a claim. Now, the Department of the Interior admits $13.1 million has already been spent, with another $6.2 million added, yet the leak problem remains unresolved. He personally promised “not a single penny from taxpayers,” but the Secret Service is being stuffed into a $1 billion budget under the guise of security upgrades for the dining room. Presidential protection funding is classified, meaning no one can actually track where the money goes. Trump claims, “I didn’t approve the contracts—they were approved by the Department of the Interior”—yet the contractors were hand-picked by him.
CNN uncovered that he deliberately detoured to Florida to personally inspect marble and onyx, touching and examining each piece like he once did when inspecting his own Trump Tower. The Secretary of the Interior, during a congressional hearing, couldn’t even recall the contractor’s name when questioned about the selection process, repeatedly citing “emergency circumstances”—a legal loophole that allows bypassing competitive bidding.
When you connect these dots, the logic becomes clear: First, propose an unrealistically low figure to secure a foothold; then, inflate prices once the project is underway; circumvent Congress through secret Secret Service budgets and emergency exemptions; and use familiar private-sector allies to turn “presidential projects” into “friends’ projects.” A real estate tycoon who had just witnessed China’s Great Hall of the People, Temple of Heaven, and Forbidden City in person now rushes to bring the White House and his golf course up to the same standard. China taught him architecture—now he turns around and defrauds American taxpayers.
President Obama’s library took 14 years and cost $500 million. Trump’s paint job on the Reflecting Pool has ballooned from $1.8 million to nearly $20 million, while the timeline keeps dragging. At this rate, when the State Dining Room finally opens in 2028, its total cost may exceed the combined original construction costs of all monuments on the National Mall. While others carve history into stone, he piles up engineering projects in dollars.
Trump’s calculations are clicking loudly: With his term nearly over and a Chinese delegation expected soon, every structure must be completed before he leaves office—making them irreversible facts on the ground. This isn’t about gardening—it’s about pouring concrete and steel to embed the word “Trump” into the foundation of the White House. Leaders at the end of empires love grand construction projects—but Trump is different. Others drain national treasuries to build their tombs; Trump drains the treasury while letting friends profit from the markup.
References:
The New York Times: “Trump promised a $1.8 million fix for America’s famous Reflecting Pool. It may now cost over $13 million”
The Hill: “Trump changes story on reflecting pool contractor”
Observation Network: “Believe you? ‘Renovating a garden from $200 million to $1 billion—and now demanding taxpayer money’”
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865437571747927/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author